In the usual process of pouring concrete, one worker on the crew is designated to maintain a constant grade. The hand tool according to the present invention can be used to perform all three operations: raking, leveling and checking grade throughout the three different steps of concrete construction work from footings to flatwork or floors and walls. According to earlier practice, one worker must hold a ruler and a hand trowel in two hands each time the grade is checked and set. If the concrete is not at the correct height, this worker must bend over and with his hand trowel scrape up concrete into a pile. This operation must be repeated over and over again until the grade is correctly set.
The hand tool provided by this invention is used in place of the hand trowel and ruler and functions as a single tool when grade checking is performed. It makes the job easier and eliminates the back strain and exertion of the worker being required to bend over and then stand up all day to rake, pile concrete, level and maintain grade.
The hand tool can be used for raking and leveling with the base plate. The handle is rigidly mounted substantially perpendicular to the base plate so that it forms a vertical support for the slidable adjustable collar which can be moved upwardly or downwardly on the handle and fastened where desired through a locking means. A circumferential sight groove formed in the collar makes it easy to check grade when this is necessary. The checking is accomplished in a manner known to the art either in conjunction with a transit or a laser beam device used to locate on the sight groove.